Rail-joint.



J. W. STEPHENSON.

RAIL JOINT. APPLIGATIGN TILED IEB.11, 1913. RENEWED OUT. 31, 1913.1,093,158.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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BAIL JOINT.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (10.. WASHINGTON n J. W. STEPHENSON.

' RAIL JOINT. APPLICATION FILED 1211. 11, 191s. RENEWED 001.31, 1912.

1,093,158. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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JOHN W. STEPHENSON, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, TO THE NATIONAL MALLEABLECASTINGS COMPANY.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Application filed February 11, 1913, Serial No. 747,603. Renewed October31, 1913.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

Serial No. 798,589.

To all whom it may cont-em: 7

Be it known that 1, JOHN lV. STEPHEN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Toledo, Lucas county, Ohio, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Rail- Joints, of which the following is aspeciflca tion, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view ofmy device; Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof showing one of the railsin section; Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly in section; Fig. 1 is asection on the lines IVIV of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section on lines VV ofFig. 1; Figs. 6 and 7 show details of the rail engaging members; Fig. 8shows a detail of the guide member, and Fig. 9 a detail of a wedgemember.

My invention relates to rail joints and consists in improvements on therail joint of my application Serial No. 717,283, filed August 27, 1912.

My improvements are comprised in making the j oint-plate of suchsymmetrical shape that it may be readily rolled, in providing railengaging members separate from the joint plate, and in providingremovable parts so that if the wear or strain is excessive upon any ofthe parts, such parts may be replaced without the necessity of replacingthe whole joint.

My device wholly obviates the necessity of using bolts either throughthe webs of the rails, or of fastening means for securing the rails.

My device also provides an elticient support for the rail heads, andprevents any lateral movement of the rails relative to each other.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates end portions of adjacent rails,3 the usual cross ties, and 1 the base or joint plate preferably locatedbetween the ties. The joint plate 1 is preferably symmetrical in crosssection, is of uniform cross section througlr out its length, and hasupturned sides 5, 5. The rail engaging member 6 which extends across thejoint, is adapted to have a supporting engagement with the heads 9 ofthe rails, and its portion 7 extends into the V-shaped space between theflanges 10 of the rails and the upturned side 5 of the plate 4 and bearsagainst the flanges 10 of the rails. The member 6 has a shoulder 8adapted to overlie the upturned side 5 of the joint plate, and there maybe clearance between them if desired, to provide for variation in therails. The member 6 also has lugs 23, 23 which overlap the ends of thejoint plate and prevent relative longitudinal movement of the plate andthe rail engaging member. On the opposite side of the rail is the otherrail engaging member 11 which also extends across the joint and engagesthe rails between their flanges 10 and heads 9. The guide-member 12 islocated between the upturned side 5 of the joint plate 4 and the flanges10 of the rails and has lugs 24 2 1 which overlap the ends of the jointplate to prevent relative longitudinal movement of the guide member andthe joint plate. The guide member also has a centrally locatedprojection 13 which extends toward the rails and which is adapted to fitinto a socket 14 on the rail engaging member 11 by which it preventslongitudinal movement of the member 11. The inclined inner faces 15 15of the guide member 12 and the rear faces of the rail engaging member11, which are provided with shoulders 1G 16, form guide-ways for thewedge members 17 17. The wedge members 17 17 are adapted to be driveninto the guide ways between the rail engaging member 11 and the member12, and to be secured there in by the bendable key members 18 18. Whenthe ends of the bendable key members 18 18 strike the curved faces ofthe deflecting channels 19 19 in the projection 13, they are deflectedupwardly in such channels and look the wedges in their positions in theguide-ways.

If desired for the purpose of preventing longitudinal movement of thejoint as a whole relative to the rails, bosses 20 may be provided on therail engaging member suitable for insertion into the bolt holes in therail webs which are normally used in connection with the ordinary fishplate joint. The wedges 17 17 are provided with slots 21, 21respectively, for the keys 18 18. and the keys have driving heads 22 22.

My device is installed as follows: I place the joint plate 4 under thetwo rails to be joined in such position that it will extendlongitudinally to an equal distance each side of the joint. I theninsert the rail engaging member 6 with its portion 7 extending into theV-shaped space between the flanges 10 of the rail and the upturned side5 of the joint plate and with its shoulder 8 overlying the upper edge ofsaid side, on the sideopposite the wedges 17 17. I next insert he guidemember 12 in position against the side 5 of the joint plate and slidethe rail engaging member 11 over the projection 13 of the member 12 sothat its socket 14: will take about the projection. The wedges 17 17 aredriven home in the guideways and the keys 18 18' are then inserted intothe slots 21 21 on the under side of the wedges and are driven into theslots as far as the heads 22 22 will permit.

It is obvious that various changes may be made in the construction ofthe rail joint which I have described and shown herein without departingfrom my invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a rail joint, a joint-plate having upturned sides, rail engagingmembers on opposite sides of the rail extending uninterruptedly acrossthe joint, and adapted to grip the rails between their heads and baseflanges, one of said members having a bearing on said joint plate, aplate bearing against one of the sides of the joint-plate, and adaptedto form with a rail engaging member a plurality of guidoways, wedges forthe guideways, and bendable key members for locking the wedges in theguideways.

2. In a rail joint, rail engaging members on opposite sides of the railextending uninterruptedly across the joint and adapted to grip the railsbetween their heads and base flanges, a guide member, a guide way formedby a rail engaging member and by the guide member, a Wedge operating inthe guide way, and a bendable key member adapted to lock the wedge inthe guide way.

3. A railjoint comprising a joint plate of substantially uniform crosssect-ion throughout. its length, rail gripping parts cooperating withthe joint plate, wedging means operating between one of the sides of thejoint plate and one of the rail gripping parts, and bendable lockingmeans for locking the wedging means against movement.

4:. A rail joint comprising a rail joint rail gripping parts adapted tobear against the flanges of the rails and to support the rail heads, aplate bearing against the joint plate and adapted to form guideways withthe rear face of one of said rail gripping parts, wedges for saidguideways and bendable locking means for locking wedges in theguideways. I

6. A rail joint comprising a joint-plate, rail gripping parts adapted tobear against the flanges of the rails and to support the rail heads, aplate having bearings against the joint-plate and one of saidrail-gripping parts, and being adapted to hold the said rail grippingpart against movement longitudinally of the joint-plate, wedging meanscooperating with said rail gripping part and said plate, and bendablelocking means for looking the wedging means against movement.

of substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, railgripping parts cooperating with the joint plate, wedging means operatingbetween one of'the sides of the joint plate and one of the rail grip- 7.A rail joint comprising a joint plate ping parts, bendable locking meansfor locking the wedging means against movement relative to the railgripping part, and means for preventing movement of a rail gripping partrelative to the plate.

JOHN 1V. STEPHENSON.

Witnesses FRED. W. ALLEN,

Ronnn'r E. CHAMBERLAIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

